Fabric hold-down blade for circular hosiery knitting machines

ABSTRACT

The fabric hold-down blade is positioned opposite the yarn feeding position and is supported on the dial for vertical movement between the outer periphery of the dial and the circle of cylinder needles. Pattern control means is provided for lowering the fabric hold-down blade so that the lower end engages the fabric when the fabric is being formed on the cylinder needles only and for raising the fabric hold-down blade upwardly so that the lower end is above the level of and will not interfere with the operation of the dial needles when the fabric is being formed on the dial and cylinder needles.

[451 Apr. 29, 1975 1 1 FABRIC HOLD-DOWN BLADE FOR CIRCULAR HOSIERYKNITTING MACHINES [75] Inventor: Peter A. Mahler, High Point, N.C.

[73] Assignee: H. E. Crawford Co., Inc.,

Kernersville, N.C.

[22] Filed: Mar. 25, 1974 [21] Appl. N0.: 454,330

I5 I If I5 14 5O Tia IO 1,936,166 2/1970 Germany 66/9 R 4,568 l/1895United Kingdom 66/104 268,796 6/1964 Netherlands 66/90 PrimaryExaminer-Wm. Carter Reynolds Attorney, Agent, or FirmParrott, Bell,Seltzer, Park & Gibson [57] ABSTRACT The fabric hold-down blade ispositioned opposite the yarn feeding position and is supported on thedial for vertical movement between the outer periphery of the dial andthe circle of cylinder needles. Pattern control means is provided forlowering the fabric hold-down blade so that the lower end engages thefabric when the fabric is being formed on the cylinder needles only andfor raising the fabric hold-down blade upwardly so that the lower end isabove the level of and will not interfere with the operation of the dialneedles when the fabric is being formed on the dial and cylinderneedles.

6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures FABRIC HOLD-DOWN BLADE FOR CIRCULAR HGSIERYKNITTING MACHINES The invention relates generally to a fabric hold-downblade for a circular hosiery knitting machine and more particularly to afabric hold-down blade for a circular hosiery knitting machine of thetype adapted to knit socks of the type having a ribbed cuff with terryloops on the inside of the foot portion.

In the knitting of this type of sock on a circular hosiery knittingmachine having a set of dial and cylinder needles, it is the usualpractice to knit this type of sock with three yarns, at least in thoseportions having terry loops. Two of these yarns are usually referred toas body yarns and are fed to the needles at a relatively low positionwhile the third or terry yarn is fed to the needles at a high positionso that it may be laid over the nibs of the sinkers. In order to providea relatively wide separation between the terry yarn and the body yarns,it is the usual practice to provide a drop throat plate at the yarnfeeding station. In order to avoid engagement of the downwardlyextending portion of the throat plate by the sinkers, it is necessary tomove the sinkers outwardly at the yarn feeding station so that they donot hold the fabric down on the needles as they pass the yarn feedingstation. If the fabric is not held down to the normal level, during bothrotary anti reciprocatory knitting, the relatively wide separationbetween the terry yarn and the body yarn is not maintained and thisresults in the improper positioning of the yarns relative to the nibs ofthe sinkers.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an object of the present invention toprovide a fabric hold-down blade which is adapted to be moved downwardlyso that its lower end engages and holds the fabric down in the normalposition on the needles when the fabric is being formed during bothrotation and reciprocation of the cylinder needles so that the properseparation of the terry and body yarns is maintained. The fabricholddown blade is also raised upwardly so that its lower end is abovethe level of and will not interfere with the op eration of the dialneedles when the fabric is being formed on both the dial and cylinderneedles.

In accordance with the present invention, the fabric hold-down blade ispositioned opposite the throat plate and between the dial and thecylinder needles and its upper end is fixed on a slide block which issupported for vertical movement on a pair of slide posts, the lower endsof which are fixed in the dial. A compression spring is supportedbetween the slide posts and normally urges the slide block and thefabric hold-down blade to an uppermost position. Pattern control meansis provided for lowering the slide block and the fabric hold-down bladewhen the fabric is being formed on the cylinder needles only and forraising the slide block and the fabric hold-down blade upwardly to aninoperative position and above the level of the dial needles when thefabric is being formed on both the dial and cylinder needles.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description proceedswhen taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. lis a fragmentary top plan view of a portion of the latch ring and dialof the knitting machine, with parts in section, and with the fabrichold-down blade of the present invention being supported on the dial;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along t e line2-2 in FIG. 1 and illustrating the fabric hold-down blade in solid linesin the position it assumes in engagement with the fabric as it is beingformed on the cylinder needles, and showing the fabric hold-down bladein dotted lines in the position it assumes when it is raised to aninoperative position; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary isometric view of the fabric hold-down blade,looking in the direction of the arrow 3 in FIG. 1, and showing thefabric hold-down blade in the raised position.

The circular hosiery knitting machine includes a circle of cylinderneedles 10 which are supported for vertical sliding movement in aslotted needle cylinder 11. A dial bed 12 is fixed on the lower end of adial drive shaft 13 and the dial bed 12 is radially grooved to receivedial needles 14 for radial sliding movement therein. Dial needle controlcams 15 are supported on the lower surface of a dial plate 16 andcontrol the inward and outward radial movement of the dial needles 14. Alatch ring 20 surrounds the circle of cylinder needles 10 and ispivotally supported on a shaft 21. A drop throat plate 22 is supportedin the latch ring 20 and at the yarn feeding station.

Yarn feed means, illustrated as a single yarn feed finger 24, ispositioned for movement into and out of operative position in the throatplate 22 for selectively feeding yarn to the dial needles 14 and thecylinder needles 10 to form either rib or plain knit fabric, asindicated at F. Although only one yarn feed finger 24 is illustrated, itis to be understood that there are usually three or more yarn fingerspositioned for movement into and out of operative position in the throatplate 22. The finger 24 is at times raised to inoperative position by athrust rod 25, the lower end of which is adapted to engage and beoperated by cams on a main pattern drum, not shown, in the usual manner.

A sinker bed 30 is supported on the upper end of the needle cylinder 1 land is grooved to support sinkers 31 for radial movement between thecylinder needles 10. A sinker cap 32 is supported on the sinker bed 31and contains suitable cams for moving the sinkers 31 inwardly andoutwardly in a radial direction. As the sinkers 31 approach the yarnfeeding station, they are moved outwardly so that the nibs pass outsideof the downwardly extending portion of the drop throat plate 22. Thesinkers 31 are then moved inwardly between the cylinder needles 10 sothat the nibs of the sinkers pass between the yarns being fed at a lowposition and the yarn being fed at a high position to form terry loopsof the upper yarn. As illustrated in FIG. 2, body yarns Y-l and Y-2 arefed to the needles at a low position by the yarn feed finger 24 whilethe terry yarn Y-3 is fed to the needles at a relatively high positionby the feed finger 24. The yarns pass downwardly through yarn guide eyes35 which are fixed in a plate 36 supported on a bridging portion 37 ofthe latch ring 20.

Since the sinkers are in an outermost position at the throat plate, thefabric has a tendency to ride up on the cylinder needles so that thenormal separation between the terry yarn Y-3 and the body yarns Y-l andY-2 is reduced. The fabric has a greater tendency to ride up thecylinder needles 1D when the needles are reciprocated in the clockwisedirection, as when kitting heel and toe pockets. When the direction ofmovement of the needle cylinder is reversed to move clockwise, the yarntake-up wires provide additional tension on the yarns and this tends topull the fabric up on the cylinder needles.

To maintain the fabric in its normal position on the cylinder needles. afabric hold-down blade is positioned opposite the throat plate 22 andits lower end portion is positioned between the outer periphery of thedial l6 and the circle of cylinder needles 10. Support means ispositioned on the dial 16 for supporting the blade 40 for verticalmovement between the operative position shown in solid lines in FIG. 2and the inoperative position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2. The fabrichold-down blade support means includes a pair of spaced apart slideposts 41, 42 which are threadably supported at their lower ends in theupper surface of the dial l6 and extend upwardly therefrom. A slidebracket or block 43 is provided with a pair of vertically extendingbores 45, 46 (FIG. 3) which are adapted to engage and slideably supportthe slide block 43 on the slide posts 41, 42.

Resilient means. in the form of a compression spring 50, is provided fornormally urging the slide block 43 upwardly so that the fabric hold-downblade 40 is raised to the upper or inoperative position shown in FIG. 3with its lower end above the level of the dial needles 14. The lower endof the compression spring 50 is supportedin a hole in the upper surfaceof the dial plate 16 and the upper end of the compression spring 50extends up inside of a hole in the slide block 43. The upper end of thefabric hold-down blade 40 is fixed on the slide block 43, as by screws52 (FIG. 3).

Adjustment means is carried by the slide block 43 for adjustablylimiting the amount of downward movement of the slide block to therebylimit the downward movement of the lower end of the fabric hold-downplate 40 against the fabric F. This adjustment means is illustrated as ascrew 53 which is threaded in the upper end of the slide block 43 andextends downwardly through the center of the compression spring 50. Thelower end of the screw 53 is adapted to engage the dial plate 16, asillustrated in dotted lines in FIG. 2, when the slide block 43 is movedto the lower or operative position. A control arm 54 is supported at oneend on the upper surface of the slide block 43 by means of a lock nut 55and extends outwardly therefrom.

Pattern control means is provided for lowering the slide block 43 andthe fabric hold-down blade 40 to engage the fabric F when the fabric isbeing formed on only the cylinder needles l0 and to allow thecompression spring 50 to raise the slide block 43 and the fabrichold-down blade 40 upwardly so that the lower end of the fabrichold-down blade 40 is positioned above the level of the dial needles 14when the fabric is being formed on both the dial and cylinder needles.This pattern control means includes a control lever 60, the forward endof which is adapted to overlie and engage the control arm 54 and amedial portion of which is pivotally supported on a shaft 61 (FIG. 2)fixed in the bridging portion 37 of the latch ring 20. The upper end ofa thrust rod 62 engages the outer end of the control lever and the lowerend of the thrust rod 62 is adapted to be raised and lowered by suitablecams on a main pattern drum, not shown, for moving the control lever 60between the solid and dotted lines positions shown in FIG. 2.

The fabric hold-down blade of the present invention is thus adapted tobe moved downwardly to the solid line position shown in FIG. 2 when thefabric is being knit on the cylinder needles only to maintain the fabricat a low position on the cylinder needles as they are raised to pick upand knit the yarn at the yarn feeding station. The fabric hold-downblade 40 maintains the fabric F at the proper level during both rotaryand reciprocatory knitting so that the proper separation between theterry and body yarns is maintained. When rib fabric is being knit onboth the dial and cylinder needles. the fabric hold-down blade 40 israised to the dotted line position shown in FIG. 2 so that the lower endis above the level of the dial needles l4 and the blade 40 will notinterfere with the radial movement of the dial needles as they areprojected outwardly at the yarn feeding station to pick up and knit yarnin cooperation with the cylinder needles.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferredembodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed,they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not forpurposes of limitation.

That which is claimed is:

1. In a circular hosiery knitting machine including a circle of cylinderneedles. a dial positioned within said circle of cylinder needles. dialneedles supported for radial movement in said dial. a latch ringsurrounding said circle of cylinder needles, a throat plate positionedin said latch ring, and yarn feed means positioned for movement into andout of operative position in said throat plate for selectively feedingyarn to'said dial and cylinder needles to form fabric thereon; thecombination therewith of fabric hold-down means comprising a. a fabrichold-down blade positioned opposite said throat plate and between saiddial and said circle of cylinder needles,

b. support means positioned on said dial and supporting said blade forvertical movement between the outer periphery of said dial and saidcircle of cylinder needles. and

c. pattern control means for lowering said support means and said fabrichold-down blade to engage the fabric when the fabric is being formed onsaid cylinder needles only and to raise said support means and saidfabric hold-down blade upwardly so that the lower end of said fabrichold-down blade is above the level of said dial needles when the fabricis being formed on said dial and cylinder needles.

2. In a knitting machine according to claim 1 wherein said support meanscomprises a pair of slide posts supported in spaced apart relationshipon the upper surface of said dial and extending upwardly therefrom, aslide block supporting the upper end of said fabric hold-down blade andincluding a pair of vertically extending holes adapted to engage andslideably support said slide block on said slide posts for verticalmovement. and resilient means normally urging said slide block upwardlyon said slide posts.

3. In a knitting machine according to claim 2 including adjustment meanscarried by said slide block for adjustably limiting the amount ofdownward movement of said slide block to thereby limit the downwardmovement of the lower end of said fabric hold-down plate.

4. In a knitting machine according to claim 2 wherein said resilientmeans comprises a compression spring supported in a vertical positionbetween said slide posts and having upper and lower ends. the lower endof said compression spring being seated against said dial and the upperend of said compression spring being seated against said slide block.

5. ln a knitting machine according to claim 3 wherein said adjustmentmeans comprises a screw threadably supported in said slide bracket andextending downwardly therefrom so that the lower end thereof engagessaid dial to limit the downward movement of said slide 5 said cylinderneedles only.

bracket.

6. In a knitting machine according to claim 1 wherein said patterncontrol means includes a lever engageable with the upper portion of saidsupport means for imparting downward movement thereto when knitting on

1. In a circular hosiery knitting machine including a circle of cylinderneedles, a dial positioned within said circle of cylinder needles, dialneedles supported for radial movement in said dial, a latch ringsurrounding said circle of cylinder needles, a throat plate positionedin said latch ring, and yarn feed means positioned for movement into andout of operative position in said throat plate for selectively feedingyarn to said dial and cylinder needles to form fabric thereon; thecombination therewith of fabric hold-down means comprising a. a fabrichold-down blade positioned opposite said throat plate and between saiddial and said circle of cylinder needles, b. support means positioned onsaid dial and supporting said blade for vertical movement between theouter periphery of said dial and said circle of cylinder needles, and c.pattern control means for lowering said support means and said fabrichold-down blade to engage the fabric when the fabric is being formed onsaid cylinder needles only and to raise said support means and saidfabric hold-down blade upwardly so that the lower end of said fabrichold-down blade is above the level of said dial needles when the fabricis being formed on said dial and cylinder needles.
 2. In a knittingmachine according to claim 1 wherein said support means comprises a pairof slide posts supported in spaced apart relationship on the uppersurface of said dial and extending upwardly therefrom, a slide blocksupporting the upper end of said fabric hold-down blade and including apair of vertically extending holes adapted to engage and slideablysupport said slide block on said slide posts for vertical movement, andresilient means normally urging said slide block upwardly on said slideposts.
 3. In a knitting machine according to claim 2 includingadjustment means carried by said slide block for adjustably limiting theamount of downward movement of said slide block to thereby limit thedownward movement of the lower end of said fabric hold-down plate.
 4. Ina knitting machine according to claim 2 wherein said resilient meanscomprises a compression spring supported in a vertical position betweensaid slide posts and having upper and lower ends, the lower end of saidcompression spring being seated against said dial and the upper end ofsaid compression spring being seated against said slide block.
 5. In aknitting machine according to claim 3 wherein said adjustment meanscomprises a screw threadably supported in said slide bracket andextending downwardly therefrom so that the lower end thereof engagessaid dial to limit the downward movement of said slide bracket.
 6. In aknitting machine according to claim 1 wherein said pattern control meansincludes a lever engageable with the upper portion of said support meansfor imparting downward movement thereto when knitting on said cylinderneedles only.